23 Oct Museum of Fine Arts Budapest – The finest pleasure on Heroes’ Square

The Danube coast is like a string of pearls and each pearl is a city of rich culture and history. Budapest shines in this thread and wins our hearts every time we visit. This city is like an open-air museum – it is full of great architecture, museums and other cultural facilities, and when you ask the locals what they are most proud of, nine out of ten of them will say without much thought – the Museum of Fine Arts.

Key information and history of the museum

So it’s no surprise that our favorite place in Budapest is also the Museum of Fine Arts. Located on the magnificent Heroes’ Square, it was built between 1900 and 1906 in the neoclassical style. After reconstruction and merger with the National Gallery, it reopened in 2018 with its original concept and once again exhibited some of the most important Hungarian and international works of art. The Museum’s collection is divided into six groups and represents many important works of art from ancient Egypt to modern art.

Figures and facts

Given that the museum has existed for almost 120 years, it also has a relatively large collection – more than 120,000 works of art.

The museum is closed on Mondays, and the working hours every other day are from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. You can check out their website and see the exceptional closings. Tickets for permanent exhibitions are €8.50, and there are also several discounted prices for youth and adults. Tickets for each temporary exhibition cost around €11 and there are at least two at a time. If you decide to visit the museum on a weekend, we recommend that you arrive early as the place gets crowded very quickly, or make an online purchase in advance.

Trivia

The museum was built according to the plans of two architects, Albert Šikedanc and Fulop Herzogtat. Their great masterpiece is the Millennium Monument on Heroes’ Square. That’s why they were entrusted with the task of planning such a building, they figured out how to best fit it into the environment and keep the spirit and harmony.

Don’t miss it

Take your time with the antique collections, check out the ancient way of living (and dying), then move on to some of the paintings, drawings and sculptures of the Old Masters! If you enjoy biblical themes, large canvases and expertly executed works of art, don’t miss Leonardo da Vinci’s Little Horseman, Raphael’s Madonna of Esterhazy, Grien’s Adam and Eve, Portrait of a Young Man by Dürer.

The best place for photos

On the ground floor of the museum there is the Golden Gate of the Freiberg Cathedral, which is located inside the Romanesque hall. It is so unusual to come across such a sight in a museum, so try to capture such an experience. And don’t forget to have a photo on the steps of the museum with the Corinthian columns behind you as you are greeted by the many characters from the Temple of Olympian Zeus.

Souvenir shop

Filled with books, notebooks, bags and art puzzles, their gift shop is one of the nicest we’ve ever visited. If you are in a hurry, you can order all art items from the museum’s web store.

Our final impression

This is one of the largest museums in this part of Europe. Their collection is amazing and the temporary exhibitions are always breathtaking. It is so wonderful to see the great museums of our time collaborating and bringing us closer to art in so many different and unique ways.

After the visit

Heroes’ Square, where the Museum is located, is one of the most important places in Budapest. At this UNESCO World Heritage site, you can see how a nation celebrates its leaders and heroes and commemorates the founding of the Hungarian state. Walk around and examine in detail the mighty statues that make up this monument. The Palace of Arts is also located there and is worth a visit if you are willing to see some contemporary art.

The square itself has a station of the oldest metro line in continental Europe, so take a ride to the city center and enjoy a walk through the beautiful city on the banks of the Danube.

You can view the virtual tour of the Museum here!